Vampires
Vampires are creatures of the night, risen from the grave to feed upon the blood of the living. Their origin dates back to the time before history, when man first huddled around fires and hid in caves to escape the monsters in the dark. Many stories and tales surround the creatures, many fictitious, and many grounded in truth. The wide variety of tales of vampires is due to the diversity within the species itself. There are multiple clans of vampires, each with their own traits, powers, and unique weaknesses. However, despite their differences, they do all share certain commonalities. Variations Vampires all share common characteristics, but depending on their vampiric ancestors, they possess a few differing traits. These often include talent for different praxises. The largest groups are known as clans, which can be further divided into subgroups known as bloodlines. Amaros The Amaros clan are renowned for their beauty, charisma, and mastery of social manipulation. There is not a single member of the clan who is not physically attractive, due to the fact that whenever a mortal is Embraced into the clan, their transformation brings with it physical perfection. Supposedly, this is caused by the great vanity of their clan founder. They are known for their signature praxis of Aura, and in addition, they also have skill in both Velocitude and Discenation. They are cursed with not having a reflection. Gandor Founded by Gandor the Seer, the Gandor clan possesses a limited version of their founder's precognitive abilities. However, such abilities come with a cost, as they are plagued by visions of horrible possible futures which drive many of them into paranoia. They are gifted with the praxises of Synogen, Discenation, and Mystria. Iriel Clan Iriel are gifted with the unique praxis of Climarex, the ability to control the weather, as well as Discenation and Aura. Their curse is just as unique as their Climarex praxis, in that they suffer various mental afflictions based on the weather. Legrue The Legrue are the clan of beasts, gifted in the praxises of Proceus, Natomacy, and Constancie. They are known to live in the wilds, preying predominantly on animals. They are bound to the cycles of the moon, becoming more unstable the fuller it waxes, as they find it harder to maintain both their human thought and their human form. Nergali The Nergali are one of the most feared vampiric clans, possessing talents for Korpulessence, Constancie, and Proceus. They are mistrusted by other vampires due to their tendency to use their set of praxises to mold various creatures into horrific monstrosities, using them as slaves and warbeasts. They are cursed with beasts being repelled by their presence, and being nearby most animals will cause them to become aggressive or panicked, unless they are calmed with Proceus. Riganite The Riganite clan is populated by those of inquisitive minds who thirst for absolute knowledge. They value excellence, and Embrace only those who of absolute mental competence. They have master over the praxises of Discenation, Mesmer, and Sanguinism, supposedly due to the control it gives over their fellows. Their clan weakness is that tree sap, the "blood" of the wood that harms the entirety of the vampire race, is highly corrosive to the touch. Torvic The Torvic clan values competence, excellence, and the ability to rule. It's members are gifted with the powers of Aura and Constancie, and their signature praxis, Mesmer. They only Embrace those who they believe to have the potential to serve as great rulers. Ukosi The Ukosi are a clan known for their signature power of Diabolism, the ability to control the dead. They are also gifted with the praxises of Constancie and Mesmer. The clan weakness of the Ukosi is that when entering their daily torpor, they must surround themselves with earth from their homeland, or else they will begin to suffer physical and mental degradation. Veismar The clan of warriors, the Veismar specialize in the three physical praises, Aura, Robustes, and Velocitude. Their founders lust for battle, however, resulted in a curse that endowed them with fierce tempers, and they are easily enraged. Thusly, it is customary for members of the clan to undergo rigorous mental training in order to keep themselves from constantly succumbing to their fury. Jaguari The Jaguari are a bloodline of the Veismar clan, mostly located within Central and South America. Instead of Aura, they possess proficiency in the Mesmer praxis. Vetala The Vetala are a clan native to the region of India. They are characterized for being physically deformed and monstrous in appearance, many having batlike features, grey skin, and claws sprouting from their fingers. This is a result of their clan curse. They are endowed with power in Brallatis, Obscurus, and Robustes. Physiology Physical Characteristics Vampires, due to their status as undead predators, physically differ from humans in a number of ways. In addition to lack of vital signs, such as a heartbeat, body heat, and brain waves, all vampires are possessed of some form of sharpened teeth in order to assist them in feeding on blood. There are often variations, such as the number of fang sets, and their location. In addition, the vast majority of clans undergo some sort of facial transformation when experiencing bouts of aggression, fear, or when feeding. This can include anything from the eyes turning pure black, the sclera reddening, or the partial deformation of facial features. An addition, a number of clans are able to transform their fingernails into claws. The Thirst All vampires are afflicted with a desire and need to consume the blood of living creatures, which is collectively known as the Thirst. They are unable to digest human food or drink, and can at most store it within their stomachs for a few hours before vomiting it up. Instead the Children of the Night are forced to rely on blood for sustenance, stealing the life force which they no longer possess. It temporarily sates the Thirst, and fuels their unnatural powers, granting them enhanced physical prowess and the unique powers of their clan. Feeding is euphoric for vampires, as life floods their bodies, and they experience the memories and sensations of their prey. The more blood they drain, the more memories they acquire, reminding them of life once more. Due to the various possible mental states of their victims, many vampires often prefer the feel of blood from certain people, be it grizzled soldiers or snobby scholars. Furthermore, many also choose different methods of feeding to elicit different emotions from their prey so the blood is charged with their preferred taste, be it of fear, rage, or ecstasy. The Second Life Vampires are dead, with the state they exist in being known as the Second Life. No matter their clan, all vampires lack a heartbeat, a pulse, and the flow of blood. They have no need for oxygen, and do not feel pain as mortals do. They do not experience discomfort in temperature extremes, tight spaces, or from remaining in one position for too long. Appearing alive requires conscious effort, willing the heart to beat, the blood to flow, for breath to enter and leave the lungs. The ability to utilize ones blood to simulate life is known as The Vital Touch. Age Categories Depending how long they have existed as undead, vampires will be placed into several classifications that denote their traits. Fledglings Fledglings have been vampires for less than a year. Still adjusting to their new existence, they are prone to sudden mood swings and violent outbursts, as well as having an incredibly difficult time controlling their lust for blood. They are very difficult to distinguish from ordinary humans in their mannerisms and movement, due to the fact that they instinctively utilize the Vital Touch nearly constantly. Neophyte Neophytes are vampires who are less than a hundred years of age, and have completed their first year as a vampire, no longer being prone to the erratic mood swings of a fledgling. Dolescii Dolescii are between the ages of one and three centuries. At this point in their existence, the usage of the Vital Touch is no longer reflexive, and vampires will have to consciously will themselves to breathe and for blood to move through their bodies. Maiori Maiori, commonly known as elders, are vampires over three centuries of age, but younger than a thousand years. They are generally known to be odd in their movements, very rarely blinking and moving with unnatural precision. Venebrate Venebrates are vampires over a millennium in age, where they enter a stage of existence that will last some further two millennia. Many of bodily movements normally seen in humans, such as blinking or fidgeting, are not present in Venebrates, who are often characterized as being unnaturally still and statuesque. At their age, they begin to feel the urge to enter torpor, which may be fought off for centuries. However, the longer they fight off entering slumber, the longer their slumber will be when they finally do enter it. Mortal blood begins to loose its savor, meaning it takes greater and greater amounts to satiate their hunger. Archon Archons are tremendously ancient vampires, three millennia in age or more. They spend the vast majority of their existence sleeping in torpor, and are characterized by the fact that mortal blood does not properly sustain them any longer, and they must feed from other supernatural beings. The Embrace Vampiric blood prevents procreation by ordinary means. Vampires are infertile creatures, forcing them to reproduce by a process known as the Embrace. The creation of a new vampire involves a mortal being drained of the vampiric Sire until the point of death. Then, with their Progeny's blood flowing through them, the Sire deposits a small amount of their own blood into the corpse. The corpse will then rise the following morning, in a painful Transition. Sickness, including vomiting and volatile bowel movement will occur, along with headaches, stomach cramps, and fever. Physical changes, depending on the clan, will also occur. Most prominently, the Transitioning Progeny will begin to experience extreme hunger and thirst, which no food or drink can satisfy. As the day wears on, their temporarily restored life will begin to wane, as their heartbeat slows, and their pulse weakens. As night falls, they will finish with their final changes, their fangs developing as the Thirst becomes maddening. Typically, their Sire will locate them during this time, using the psychic link formed between them, and give them their first taste of blood. Upon its ingestion, the Progeny will fully die, their heart stopping, as they gain full access to all their powers and bear their weaknesses. Nocturnal Nature Vampires all share the commonality of being nocturnal creatures. They are active entirely during the night, where they are fully alert and function at their peak capacity. They spend the daylight hours in slumber, where they are indistinguishable from corpses, and are highly vulnerable. While it is possible to rouse them during the day, the vampire will be slow and sluggish of both thought and movement. This vulnerability is the primary reason why they employ familiars. The Anima The blood of a vampire is everything to them. Their blood sustains their Second Life, fuels their supernatural abilities, and drives their hunger. Among vampires, it is known as the Anima, and through its manipulation, many powerful abilities can be achieved. Most basically, it fuels the physical prowess of a vampire, allowing them to overpower and hunt down their prey. On a deeper level, it allows for the creation of Progeny, and can sustain a psychic bond between vampires known as the Patridae. Furthermore, it can be used to create Familiars, humans who are given periodic infusions of Anima to forge a lesser version of the Patridae and enhance their physical prowess, in order to serve their masters as daylight guards and messengers. The Patridae The magic within a vampire's blood is capable of forming mental links between vampires who share it. This bond is known as a Patridae, or blood bond and is formed when a vampire has the blood of another in their system. For this reason, a Patridae always exists between a Sire and Progeny, though its strength has a great deal of variation. Patridae can also be created by a vampire drinking the blood of another on a regular basis, giving the vampire whose blood is being consumed power over the one consuming it. The strength of the Patridae is dependent on the amount and frequency of blood the subservient vampire consumes. If blood consumption ceases, the bond will begin to gradually weaken, and if the vampires are not related by bloodline, end entirely. Patridae can be used by the vampires for a variety of purposes. With a potent enough bond, the dominant vampire can at will summon the lesser one to their location with a psychic call, forcing them to travel towards them immediately. It is possible to do this in reverse, but it the dominant vampire can choose to ignore the call if they so desire. It is also possible to send each other visions and sense each other's emotions, though the dominant vampire is able to block out the transmissions at will. Most importantly, the submissive vampire will be filled with a desire to serve the will of the dominant one, and if the bond is powerful enough, can be forced to take actions against their own wishes. Depending on one's age, lineage, and power, the Patridae can extend for multiple generations, allowing a powerful vampire to exert influence over their vampiric grandchildren or great-grandchildren. Those who are truly mighty, such as the clan founders and those who began bloodlines, have such potent Patridaeic abilities that their will has the ability to influence the traits of their descendants, giving them certain physical characteristics or altering their natural powers. Generation A vampire's potential power is determined by their generation, which is a marker of how distant their bloodline is from the original vampire. Each vampire subjected to the Embrace is one generation higher than their Sire, with each generation possessing substantially less potential power then the one previously. The only way to lower one's generation is through Intenebration, where a vampire drains all the blood from another (it should be noted that exsanguination by any other means is not fatal), and thereby devours their soul and absorbs their essence into themselves. The Prime Vampire The Prime Vampire is the progenitor of the entire race, the source of vampirism, and the most powerful member of the species. It is said to have been imprisoned by ancient Ascendants and its own Progeny, where it slumbers eternally, seething in anger at its betrayal. Its age and name are unknown to most living beings in the present day. The Firstborn The Firstborn, or the Second Generation, are the Progeny of the Prime Vampire. They, along with their own offspring, are believed to have assisted the Ascendants in sealing away their Sire, and were in turn cursed for their misdeeds, and betrayed by their own offspring. Most are believed to have been exterminated by the second generation, but rumors persist that they are hidden away, slumbering. The Third Generation Turned by the Firstborn, the Third Generation assisted their Sires in the betrayal of the Prime Vampire, and thusly, were cursed for their betrayal. They are then said to have in turn betrayed the Firstborn, in an attempt to alleviate their own curses, to no avail. The original members of the second generation came into being well over ten millennia ago, and founded the present day clans, passing down their curses and praxises. From the few times throughout history they have woken from their long slumbers, they have demonstrated horrific, godlike power. The Fourth Generation The spawn of the clan founders, the Fourth Generation make up most of the foundations of the various clan bloodlines. Their powers are nearly as deific as those of their Sires, with most of them that still live in modern nights being Archons or old Venebrates. They are capable of using praxises up to Level 9 in potency. The Fifth Generation Members of the Fifth Generation are vampiric demigods, with quite a number of them having been known to found bloodlines of their own. Most of them are Venebrates, though the most cunning and powerful of them are Archons. They are capable of using praxises at Level 8 in potency. The Sixth Generation Most of the Sixth Generation that survive to modern nights were Embraced in the latter half of the first millennium, or the early centuries of the second. As such, the Sixth Generation is generally comprised of the younger portion of Venebrates and the eldest of Maiori. They are capable of using praxises at up to Level 7. The Seventh Generation The Seventh Generation make up the last truly potent elders, being able to use praxises at up to Level 6. Most of their number who live tonight were Embraced within the early or mid centuries of the second millennium, although some few do exist who were from the very end of the first. They make up the core population of maiori within the Old World, being the main power brokers in those regions. The Eighth Generation Hailing predominantly from the middle years of the second millennium, the Eighth Generation are the first generation to be restricted to praxises of Level 5, a trait passed on to all subsequent generations. Their ranks are generally spread between the Old and New Worlds. In the Old, many occupy a middling place in vampiric society, powerful, yet not its rulers, held in check by the generations which came before them. A few of the eldest among them have managed to gain great influence there, but many of their younger numbers elected to travel to the New World, where they mostly dominate vampiric society as elders. The Ninth Generation The Ninth Generation are the last generation to have a substantial portion of their population living as maiori in the modern nights, mostly having been spawned in the beginning of the latter half of the second millennium. A few claim positions as respected elders within the New World, while those who attempt to do so in the Old are generally met with scorn. Tenth Generation The Tenth Generation of modern nights make up the top portions of dolescii and the lower rungs of maiori wherever they are. Most were born two to four centuries ago. The Eleventh Generation The Eleventh Generation make up the core population of modern night dolescii, most of them being between one and three centuries of age. A fair portion of them also stand among the higher echelons of neophytes, and as such, they serve as the core bridges between the elders and younger vampires. The Twelfth Generation Making up the main population of neophytes, the Twelfth Generation currently living were mostly Embraced during the twentieth century, though many are currently being brought into existence in modern nights as fledglings to serve in the schemes of their elders, and a rare few have managed to survive to the age of dolescii. Thirteenth Generation The last generation that can be counted as true vampires, the Thirteenth is mostly composed of an ever fluctuating pool of fledglings and young neophytes who have managed to survive their tumultuous first year. Fourteenth Generation The Fourteenth Generation are the first generation of vampires to experience the thinning of the blood. These "thin bloods" take two days to complete the Embrace, twice as long as normal, and instead of paralysis, wooden stakes in their hearts resulted in instantaneous death. They had extreme difficulty utilizing praxises above Level 2, but were also able to withstand sunlight with extreme pain. This still keeps them indoors during the day, but means stepping into the sun will only result in disorientation and pain instead of destruction. Furthermore, the mere act of being awake during the day does not damage their faculties, and it is only in sunlight that they find it difficult or impossible to operate. Their population is tiny, with almost none surviving their first year, mostly due to being exterminated by other vampires. Fifteenth Generation The Fifteenth Generation were even more un-vampiric than the previous. One's creation takes a between one and two weeks to properly rise as a vampiric entity. They are able to move in sunlight with only strong irritation, meaning that while they are extremely uncomfortable being out in the sun, it does not slow their wits. This irritation can be fought by wearing heavy clothing, sunblock, and glasses to shield themselves. Furthermore, their consumption of ordinary food can be a partial substitute for blood, and if they eat large enough amounts of it, can serve as a total substitute. However, this requires huge amounts, which is very easily noticeable by any who care to look. In addition, they found extreme difficulty when Embracing mortals, with most who were subject to being Embraced by them not awakening at all. Few are able to access praxises at all, with none being able to utilize abilities above Level 1. Sixteenth Generation The Sixteenth Generation tend to come after a long line of failed Embraces due to the impotence of the Fifteenth, with most of the mortals subject to their Embrace never awakening. Those that did took nearly a month, and when they rose, were completely unable to access vampiric praxises. However, they were easily able to substitute normal food for blood, with many not having to feed on blood at all. Furthermore, sunlight was only a mild annoyance to them, which could easily be neutralized by simply wearing sunglasses. Most startling of all, many found that while unable to convert humans via the Embrace, they were able to conceive children with mortals, with the resulting offspring being the Seventeenth and final generation to exist in modern nights. Seventeenth Generation Conceived naturally via sexual intercourse, the Seventeenth Generation are completely unaffected by sunlight, and can choose entirely to abstain from drinking blood. They are possessed of natural human bodily functions such as breath and heartbeat without having to utilize the Vital Touch. The specimens currently in existence have been aging normally, and it is unknown what shall occur once any of them reach adulthood. They are commonly known as halfbloods, halfbreeds, or dhampir. Powers and Abilities Basic Powers Without the usage of the power within their blood to access the special abilities known as praxises, vampires all possess certain common abilities. Eidetic Memory: Vampires have perfect memories, and can recall all thoughts and sensations they have experienced throughout their undead existence. Super Durability: Vampires are far tougher than any creatures among the living. They are able to effortlessly shrug of cuts, stabs, and bullets, with even the weakest of them being unfazed by gunshots to the head. It truly takes enormous amounts of punishment to incapacitate or kill them. If they sustain sufficient damage, they will lapse into slumber to better allow them to recover. * Pain Resistance: Vampires are highly resistant to normal causes of pain, such as by being stabbed or bludgeoned. Very few things can cause severe pain to a vampire, but they do exist, such as fire, sunlight, or attacks from other supernatural beings. Enhanced Senses: Vampires possess senses far more advanced than they did in life. Their hearing, smell, and sense of touch is comparable to those of predatory beasts. * Night Vision: Vampires, being solely nocturnal creatures, possess the ability to see clearly in darkness. Enhanced Speed: Vampires are able to move and react more quickly than ordinary humans, being able to sprint faster than the finest of human athletes. Most can move at speeds up to thirty miles per hour. * Enhanced Reflexes: Vampires are able to react more quickly to stimuli than humans, enabling them to dodge a variety of attacks that most mortals would be unable to. Enhanced Stamina: Vampires do not suffer fatigue the way mortals do, through the building of fatigue toxins. Instead, they only begin to tire through the expenditure of blood. Enhanced Strength: The magic within a vampire's blood propels their strength to the peak of human efficiency, and then further beyond. Even the smallest and frailest of vampires are possessed of fearsome vigor that enables them to beat down mortals with little difficulty. Regeneration: Vampires are able to recover from injuries at rates far faster than any natural creature. Depending on their power and how well fed they are, injuries that would kill any mortal can be erased from their bodies in hours, minutes, or even seconds. Entire organs and even limbs can be regrown, while bullets and cuts are trivial matters that can be easily ignored. Praxises Through the manipulation of the magic within their blood, vampires can be trained to utilize a variety of magical powers known as praxises. Depending on their bloodline, they may possess innate proficiency in certain praxises. Aura Main Article: Aura The Aura praxis enables users to project certain feelings to those around them, causing their presence to instill emotions of their choosing. With it, crowds can be made to fawn over the user in admiration, enemies forced to flee in terror, or individuals charmed to try and carry out actions to please the wielder. Brallatis Main Article: Brallatis Brallatis is an ability that allows users to alter the perceptions of those around them, creating false sensations in beings within their proximity. Users can make victims see false images, hear false sounds, and smell false smells. Master level users can create illusory scenes in the minds of victims. Climarex Main Article: Climarex The ability to control weather phenomena, Climarex gives users command at of the elements. Low level users can shroud themselves in mists or summon fog with more training. In addition, more powerful users are able to summon winds, create cloud cover, and instill precipitation. True masters are able to call bolts of lightning or summon monstrously powerful storms, and can utilize wind to toss objects about. Unbeknownst to all but the most ancient of vampires, Climarex was once a Sanguinisitic Path, which was developed into its own Praxis by the founder of the Iriel Clan. Constancie Main Article: Constancie The praxis of Constancie enables vampires to harden their bodies against harm and increase their already considerable resistance to pain. Users can strengthen their flesh, turning what a blow that might strike their head from their shoulders into a mere cut. Furthermore, the Constancie praxis can be used at higher levels to increase a vampire's resistant to magic and their weaknesses, enabling them to for example survive for brief instances in the sun. Diabolism Main Article: Diabolism Diabolism, also commonly known as necromancy, is an ability that gives users power over the dead. It allows users to communicate with, and even control dead spirits. More potent users can pull small bits of spiritual essence from beyond the grave to animate corpses, or temporarily detach their spirits from their bodies for spiritual travel. True masters are even capable of bringing the dead back to life, and reform their own bodies (albeit in a severely weakened state) if their forms are destroyed. Discenation Main Article: Discenation The praxis of Discenation allows vampires to extend their already considerable senses to truly mythical proportions. With it, masters can spot flies from miles away, or detect the air disturbance caused by the movement of a blade of grass. Furthermore, it can also be used to sense emotional states, and even read minds. Korpulessence Main Article: Korpulessence One of the most feared praxises, Korpulessence is the art of shaping flesh and bone to ones will. With it, users can mold someone's features like clay, graft on limbs, or twist animals into horrific monstrosities. Users can turn it upon themselves as well, altering their appearance to suit their needs and whims, transforming themselves into inhumanely beautiful figures, or monstrous freaks as they choose. Mesmer Main Article: Mesmer Mesmer is an ability that allows vampires to take control of the minds of other beings. It allows them to wipe memories and convince victims of different realities, and force them to follow the commands of the user. Masters can utterly take control of a person, so that they can take no actions unless the user wills it. Mystria Main Article: Mystria Mystria is the ability which enables vampires to generate force and move objects with their minds. At its most basic level, Mystria can be used to generate weak forces which push in a general direction, and with training, learn to move objects with precision and be able to generate more power. Skilled users often use this praxis to float and levitate, whilst masters can achieve full on flight. Natomacy Main Article: Natomacy Natomacy is the art of transforming ones own body in order to gain animalistic features, or transform fully into a beast. Unlike Korpulessence, Natomancy can only be used on oneself, and cannot be used to simply shape a body into whatever form they desire, but rather to simply add on animalistic traits to their bodies, such as claws or armor plates. Higher level users can transform themselves into animals, with the transformation becoming more difficult to accomplish the less related the creature is to humans. Obscurus Main Article: Obscurus The praxis of Obscurus allows wielders to command darkness and shadows. With it, they can obscure light and smother a room in darkness, and form shadows into constructs held in shape by their own will. The mightiest of users can even transform themselves into incorporeal masses of shadow, melding into darkness and enabling them to pass through solid objects. Proceus Main Article: Proceus Proceus gives vampires the ability to communicate with and control beasts and animals. Its most basic utilization allows users to express feelings with animals of sufficient intelligence, while more skilled users can take command over nearby animals and perceive what they do. Masters can control swarms of beasts at a time, and even utilize more praxises, such as Bratallis or Mesmer, through an animal under their command. Robustes Main Article: Robustes One of the most widely practiced of all praxises, Robustes endows users with unnatural levels of physical strength. With it, they can toss grown men like dolls, shatter chains, or tear mighty beasts asunder with their bare hands. Sanguinism Main Article: Sanguinism A feared and respected praxis, Sanguinism gives its users the power to manipulate blood for a variety of purposes. It allows users to control the blood in their own bodies as well as that of others, allowing them to accelerate or slow healing processes, or cause muscles to seize up. Competent users can pull blood from the bodies of victims to form blood constructs, and masters are able to make victims explode, or levitate their bodies by manipulating the blood within them. Furthermore, Sanguinism's manipulation of vampiric blood allows its users to employ its supernatural qualities in order to utilize a variety of mystical powers, called Paths. These Paths, when refined and expanded upon, can be developed into their own Praxises. Synogen Main Article: Synogen Synogen, similar to Brallatis, enables the fooling of the senses. However, Synogen involves erasing one's presence from the minds of others, making them invisible to the senses of others. Velocitude Main Article: Velocitude Velocitude gifts users of it with blinding speed, enabling them to move far faster than any mere mortal. It can be used both to allow one to travel with extreme swiftness and enhance reflexes and combat speed, enabling users to deliver devastating attacks and dodge all manner of blows and projectiles. Weaknesses Common Weaknesses All vampires, regardless of clan, share several common weaknesses. Decapitation: All but the most mighty of vampires will suffer immediate death if their head is removed. Sunlight: Sunlight is the most dangerous weakness a vampire possesses. The touch of sunlight causes burning and corrosion to a vampire's body, and prolonged exposure is almost always fatal. Curiously, whilst more powerful vampires are typically resistant to other weaknesses, sunlight affects more potent and pureblooded vampires even more. The weaker one's lineage, the more sunlight it takes to cause damage. Certain vampires of extremely impure blood, lacking in the standard vampiric abilities, are even able to withstand sunlight without ill effects. Fire: Fire, unlike most other forms of damage, causes far more pain to vampires. Whilst bullets, blades, and bludgeoning can be shrugged off, fire most often elicits animalistic shrieks from vampires, causing them the same pain as it would a human. Whilst being set ablaze would not kill most vampires, wounds dealt by fire take the longest to heal. However, being truly burned to a crisp would result in their death. Wood: While not fatal to vampires, wounds inflicted by wood, like fire, are much slower to heal. They are also capable of eliciting human amounts of pain, and furthermore, if a sufficient amount of wood is lodged in their heart, they will suffer paralysis until it is removed. In addition to being immobilized, vampires will be unable to regenerate from injuries whilst staked, and will remain fully conscious, unable to enter the state of slumber.Category:Races